2010 Summerfest, Schedule, Ticket Info, Maps & Directions

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2010 Summerfest Fast Facts

When : June 26 - July 4 2010

Where : Henry W. Meier Summerfest Grounds, Milwaukee, WI

Directions by car: From the west, take I-94 east and exit at 26th Street. Follow St. Paul Avenue east to Water Street and follow the signs to area parking lots.

From the north, take I-43 south and exit at McKinley Boulevard. Proceed south on 6th Street to Michigan Street. Take Michigan Street east to Water Street and follow the signs to area parking lots.

From the south, follow I-94 north and exit at Lapham/Greenfield. Go east to 1st Street and head north to follow the signs to Summerfest.

Public transportation: Park your car downtown and catch one of the frequent shuttle buses that leave every half-hour during the day to the North Gate. After 5PM, buses begin leaving every 15 minutes.

More info: http://www.ridemcts.com/

Henry Maier, the mayor of Milwaukee during the 1960's, was so inspired by his visit to the German beer festival Oktoberfest that he came back to Milwaukee determined to create a similar cultural event for his city.

Thus, the Milwaukee Summerfest was born.

Summerfest, which is typically 11 days long, usually begins in June and ends sometime in early July. The event always encompasses annual July 4th festivities featuring the Big Bang fireworks display to get everybody in a festive holiday mood.

This year, Summerfest begins on June 26 and continues on to July 4, 2010 at the Henry W. Meier Summerfest Grounds on the Milwaukee waterfront.

Headlining this year's venue is an all-star lineup including Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, ZZ Top, Tim McGraw, Lady Antebellum, and a special appearance by Carrie Underwood on July 4th.

The world's biggest music fest

Among other things, Summerfest is first and foremost a music festival - one of the biggest in the world, in fact - the title officially bestowed upon Summerfest in 1999 by none other than the Guinness Book of World Records.

Today, 11 different stages give almost 1 million annual festival goers ample opportunity to sample a wide variety of musical talent ranging from small, local acts on up up to world renowned entertainers.

It's "come one, come all" with almost all musical acts accessed by buying a single admission ticket, with the exception of headline acts, which cost a small additional fee.

Laughs are another big component of Summerfest - a.k.a. The Big Gig - with standup comedians flocking to the venue to entertain their fans.

Entertainers aren't the only thing that attracts people to Summerfest though. The local food and restaurant scene is typically well represented, and attendees can browse shopping booths and participate in a host of family-friendly activities, not the least of which is the annual Big Bang fireworks display. Have fun!

More about Summerfest around the Web:

Jonas Brothers, Milwaukee Summerfest 2008

Summerfest - The official site with complete information about online ticket purchase, schedule of headline acts and entertainment, maps & directions, live Webcam, photo gallery.

Summerfest, Milwaukee's Big Gig - About.com review with travel details, ticket information, entertainment lineup.

Summerfest in Milwaukee, WI - Feature story on what you'll find at Summerfest with information on nearby attractions and suggested restaurants.

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